1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exhaust repair kit for use in repairing a motor vehicle's failed exhaust pipe system. More specifically, the exhaust repair kit is primarily intended for use to repair any number of original equipment failed exhaust pipe flange connections that commonly exist in the vehicle exhaust system's exhaust pipe that links and connects one or more of the components comprising an exhaust manifold, a catalytic converter, a muffler and a tailpipe. In practice, utilizing substantially all of the original equipment, the exhaust repair kit will enable a user to mount a damaged pipe end to a flanged pipe end in the vehicle exhaust system along the underside of a vehicle after corrosive failure of an original flange welded to an exhaust pipe end separates from the exhaust pipe end thereby creating an open vehicle exhaust system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the art of motor vehicle exhaust systems the original equipment supplied with a motor vehicle, as well as system component replacement parts, contain some type of flange exhaust pipe connection and often a welded flange pipe connection. Just as a chain is only as strong as its weakest length, so the test of time demonstrates that the exhaust system is only as strong as its weakest flange connection. Inherent in the operation of an exhaust system is subjecting the metal system to extreme temperatures and moisture over and over. Additionally, the flange connection points of the linkage system are subjected to extreme torsional and vibrational stress in the exhaust system. In operation, the temperatures, moisture and stress often result in one or more flange exhaust pipe connections failing long before its related component in the vehicle exhaust system does.
The usual remedy to such a failure has been to replace the whole component, starting a new with a costly component including the essential flange connections. In fact, the component may have years of use left in it and the only significant failure in the exhaust system occurred because of the failed flange connection. The only other remedy of which I am aware includes the use of a device like that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,188. Using this device one must remove both the failed exhaust pipe end and the related good flanged end to which the original flange (now having failed) was connected. Then, provided sufficient exhaust pipe exists and provided the pipe diameters correspond somehow, one could join the two flangeless pipe ends using the U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,188 patented device.
In practice, such remedies are overkill or less than adequate, if they even work. With my invention, one can avoid all of the short falls of the prior art devices at minimal cost with assured satisfactory performance and easy installation. These and other types of pipe repair devices disclosed in the prior art do not offer the flexibility and inventive features of my Exhaust Repair Kit for a vehicle Exhaust System. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the apparatus and methods relating to the present invention differ from those previously proposed.